


A Different Sort Of Magic

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Primal Magic Sources, Raydia, just a little bit gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-08-03 23:59:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16335842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Rayla helps Claudia reach out to the Six Primal Sources of magic.





	A Different Sort Of Magic

“I’ve never felt like this before.” Claudia giggles as the magical bunny-like creature sniffs her fingers curiously. “It’s _amazing_.”

“It’s magic. _Real_ magic.” Rayla pulls one of the fluffy creatures into her lap.“Not that stuff that you were into.”She winces.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to-“

“No, you’re right.”Claudia observes how the magic floats around of its own accord around her fingers. “Dark magic isn’t right.It takes and takes and leaves only death behind.It’s not cool.Not really.I should never have—no matter how much I longed for magic.Not like that.My _father_ ’s way.”

They’d both seen, in the final fight with Lord Viren, just what Dark Magic did.How it leeched the life out of the world, and left nothing behind.All her life, Claudia worked with already dead things her father had given her.Broken-off horns and spider carcasses and such.She’d never witnessed the true effect dark— _her—_ magic had on the living before the battle.That wasn’t to say she didn’t _know_.Most of the time, she chose not too look.

The elves and dragons stole magic from humans.This way their forceful way of taking it back, her father always told Claudia.

It hadn’t horrified her growing up.It did now.

“I’ve always been sensitive to magic.”Claudia looks at the ground.“Without it, it always felt like something was missing.I wanted it so badly.I didn’t care who or what got hurt.”She quickly looks up at Rayla.“I do now.I will _never_ do anything like that again.”

“Close your eyes.”Rayla sits cross-legged in front of Claudia.She takes her hands in her own.“Listen.”

“Rayla, wha—?”

“Shhh!Shush!”Rayla stops her.“Be quiet.You have to let it reach out to you, embrace you, or at least that’s what my mother always said.‘There is magic all around, Rayla.You just need to let it in _and sit still for one second, child, I’m trying to teach you an important life lesson!’”_ This last bit is said in what Claudia assumes is Rayla’s best impression of her mother.

Claudia cracks an eye open and sees Rayla laughing quietly, so she chuckles too.Rayla catches her eye and smiles at her.A blush rushes to Claudia’s cheeks.Where did that come from?

Rayla notices Claudia’s blush and blushes too.“Alright, back to it,” She hastily says.“The magic isn’t just going to wait around forever, you know.”

Claudia closes her eyes again.She inhales, exhales.Listens to Rayla as she speaks.

“Feel the daylight on your skin, the magic of the Sun.Smell the flowers and the rich earthen smells of the meadow, the magic of the Earth.The wind as it blows past you, the magic of the Sky.Relax, Claudia.Let all these things surround you.Magic wants to communicate with you, but you have to be open to it.”

Claudia relaxes and focuses.A part of her is scared the Primal Sources, the real ones, will reject her.They will look into her and see someone just like her father. _I’m not a destroyer,_ she mentally tells herself, _not like he was.Okay, I was.Just a little.But I don’t want to be anymore.I want to learn magic, magic that doesn’t harm.Spells that don’t require a sacrifice.I’m a good student.I can learn quickly.If, if you give me the chance._

For a moment, nothing happens.Then, it’s like the entire world has shifted.Claudia can _feel_ it.The rhythms—the _magics_ —as they flow and shift.

She opens her eyes.Everything is the same, but different somehow.Nothing visually has changed, but there’s a lingering presence at the back of Claudia’s mind.It feels like magic once did when her father taught her, but it’s not the same.It’s better somehow.More comfortable.Like the embrace of the wise grandparents she’d seen in the streets (and never herself had) rather than knowing a song to enchant a deadly viper.

Claudia doesn’t realize she’s smiling. 

However, she does notice the way Rayla’s smiling at her.Her heartbeat quickens.

Oh.Oh no.

_Nope, I’m definitely not in love_ , Claudia tells herself.

But she knows that’s a lie.The magic that’s so recently accepted giving her a chance knows that’s a lie.Claudia can feel it almost laughing at her.

_Oh, come on, it’s not like Rayla would ever fall for me._

Would she?


End file.
